In a simple courtyard near the suburban graveyard, a skeletal middle-aged man sat cross-legged on a bed as dry as deadwood. His face was pale, and dried blood stained his body, indicating severe injuries.
Before him lay several corpses, recently buried martial artists, including Su Ping's body. Thumb-sized, pale worms crawled over these corpses, resembling maggots as they devoured the flesh and blood. As they fed, the white worms gradually turned blood-red.
"Fortunately, many martial artists have died in Fuzhou City recently, including some at the Earth Realm. Otherwise, it would've taken over a year to recover from these injuries," the man mused, glancing at his chest.
A deep, fist-sized wound marred his heart area. Instead of being red, it was pale and seemed corroded. Seemingly unfazed by the pain, he gestured, and the flesh-eating worms quickly gathered and crawled into his wound.
The pale area around his wound slowly began to heal, resembling normal skin. However, his face contorted, revealing the excruciating nature of this healing process.
Moments later, the worms crawled out of the unhealed portion of the wound. Having consumed flesh and blood, they returned to their white color and resumed feeding on the corpses before him.
The sound of the worms gnawing on flesh filled the room with an eerie, spine-chilling noise.
"Someone's coming!" the man in black suddenly exclaimed. The worms quickly burrowed into the corpses as he rose from the bed, donning a gray-white robe and a grayish-black hat.
These clothes belonged to the previous owner of this house, the cemetery keeper whom he had killed days ago after fleeing here injured. He had since assumed the role of the cemetery keeper.
He walked out of the courtyard and glanced up to see Su Hao approaching. Lowering his head, he relaxed his guard upon seeing only a fourth-stage Human Realm martial artist and an ordinary person. The martial artist's fine clothes suggested he was from a wealthy family.
"Excuse me, are you the cemetery keeper?" Su Hao asked, quickening his pace as he saw someone emerge from the courtyard.
"I am. What brings you here, young master?" the man in black replied, head lowered and voice feigning old age.
"Sir, I'd like to know if there have been any recent changes in this graveyard. My friend's body has disappeared from his grave!"
"Hmm, this kid's looking for trouble?" the man thought, surprised by Su Hao's inquiry. He lacked the patience to answer, as previous inquirers had become corpses in his courtyard.
"If that's the case, you needn't leave either," he thought, a cold glint flashing in his eyes as he contemplated killing Su Hao.
"It's cold!" Su Hao sensed the man's murderous intent.
The man in black raised his head, fixing Su Hao with an icy stare.
"You're not the cemetery keeper, are you?" Su Hao realized, alarmed by the man's aura.
"Sometimes, meddling can be fatal. Let me send you on your way!" the man's eyes flashed coldly as he reached for Su Hao.
Though injured, he still maintained the strength of a fifth-stage Earth Realm fighter. Dealing with a mere Human Realm martial artist was like crushing a chick to him.
His arm exuded a black, chilling aura as his ghostly pale hand shot towards Su Hao's throat with lightning speed.
"Heh! Heh!" A sinister laugh escaped his lips.
Suddenly, two sharp blade auras appeared above his arm. If he didn't withdraw his hand, it would be severed by these attacks!
The man in black swiftly changed his grab into a punch, instantly forming a black energy around his fist and striking at the incoming blade lights.
Clang! Clang!
As fist met blade, energy waves dispersed.
Su Hao stumbled back several steps, his face stinging from the blast. His eyes remained fixed on the combatants: two black-clad men wielding swords, their faces cold and eyes devoid of emotion, like machines.
On the other side stood his attacker, his gray clothes now torn, revealing bloodstained black garments underneath. His gray hat lay discarded nearby, exposing the fist-sized wound on his chest.
"I didn't expect two third-stage Earth Realm death soldiers protecting you. Your identity must be significant," the man in black said, eyeing Su Hao darkly.
"Young master, please leave. We'll handle this," one of the death soldiers spoke.
Su Hao, realizing he'd only be a hindrance, nodded to the trembling coachman behind him and quickly retreated.
"I finally found a place to heal, and you've ruined it. You think you can just leave?" the man in black snarled. He couldn't let Su Hao escape after disrupting his recovery.
As Su Hao moved, the man transformed into black mist, lunging at him. His pale hand, fingers like blades gleaming with black light, reached for Su Hao's retreating form.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Su Hao's two protectors sprang into action, moving like wraiths to intercept the attacker. Their swords flashed with black light as they slashed at the man in black.
"Heh! Heh!" the man thought. "I only pretended to target him. My real targets are you two. Once you're dead, crushing that kid will be effortless."
Suddenly, the man in black halted his pursuit of Su Hao. He spun around, firing two white beams of light that pierced through the soldiers' sword auras and struck their bodies.
The light flashed as it entered their bodies, causing their faces to stiffen and their sword movements to slow.
The man in black easily dodged their attacks with a slight movement.
Meanwhile, Su Hao had retreated several steps.
Sensing the dire situation, his eyes narrowed. He stumbled deliberately, falling to the ground. As he fell, the Blood-Devouring Demon Vine in his hand swiftly burrowed into the earth.